Because You're Nanoha
by Riveted
Summary: And Fate merely shrugs with that serene smile and Nanoha tries to push away the nagging feeling of guilt with a resolution. She will not ask Fate for such a favor again. Unfortunately she's a liar.


She doesn't realize how easy it is. It's been a month since Fate has been going to school with her. They are working on homework together and Nanoha is staring at the paper in frustration. Slumping forward she sighs.

"Mou, Fate-chan, this is _so_ hard!" Shaking her head in despair she silently worries about the terrible grade she will be getting on the homework. Most likely she will slave away for the entire sheet and get a poor grade. Plus she has to practice training with Raising Heart! How on earth is she going to manage?

"Ne, Nanoha, I could do it for you if you want?"

She frowns at the statement and glances upward, observing the sincere burgundy eyes. So eager to please. Something in the back of her head whispers _It's fine she wants to do it, she wants to help you, she owes you __after all_. And for some reason that rebellious whisper is so much more persuasive than the conscience allowing guilt to seep into her bones.

"A-are you sure?" Hesitantly she flutters her eye lashes at the other girl. And Fate merely gives her a shy smile and reaches over, taking the white paper with kind eyes and gentle hands. For a moment Nanoha lets the guilt flood her body, the stifling sensation causing her to ball her hands into fists. But then she realizes she can go practice and get a good night's rest, surely it isn't a bad thing that Fate is helping her.

"Fate-chan, you don't have to do this," she murmurs softly as she begins to stand, fingering the device around her neck. And Fate merely shrugs with that serene smile and Nanoha tries to push away the nagging feeling of guilt with a resolution. She will not ask Fate for such a favor again.

Unfortunately she's a liar.

Z00000000000Z0000000000Z

Fate is still looking at her with sad worried eyes. It's been two years since she's been in the accident. She feels fine! Yet as she walks from class to class she can feel Fate's gaze on her, subtle and concerned. Sometimes it makes her feel touched. Other times it makes her feel annoyed.

They're lounging on her bed, each with a single ear bud in their ears as they listen to a new song on Nanoha's iPod. When the song is over Nanoha pulls her bud out of her ear, swinging her legs over and preparing to stand. But her leg cramps and she winces, stiffening with a frown. In an instant Fate is alert and at her side, a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright, Nanoha? S-should I call Shamal?"

And Nanoha knows she shouldn't lash out. But the sympathy is like fanatic poison in her veins. It makes her blood boil. She hates it. So she suppresses the exasperated reply on her tongue and leans forward, a saccharine smile on her face.

"Would you spar with me, Fate-chan? It's been such a long time!"

The other girl blanches, clearly put off by the random question.

"I don't think that's a good idea, what if-"

Nanoha's face darkens.

"I am not a fragile doll, Fate-chan. I can handle it as a mage."

The other girl's face is conflicted. But in the end she sighs and stands. Nanoha can see that the other girl's eyes are a bit too shiny but she tries to brush that out of her mind.

"Mm, I understand. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm being overbearing."

At the practice session Nanoha pummels Fate to a pulp. Fate isn't giving it her all. But Nanoha ignores the small bit of her pride perturbed by the clear lack of a true challenge. Instead she focuses on viciously attacking and beating the other girl, letting out her frustration and anger. When they're done Fate just gives her a feeble smile and limps home. And as Nanoha watches her receding form she doesn't even feel guilty.

Z00000000000Z0000000000Z

Nanoha knows she shouldn't have followed Fate after the boy had asked to speak to her in private. But her excuse is valid she thinks as she fingers the notebook in her hand. She never expected to see a love confession. And the tumultuous feelings of jealousy that come with it. Nanoha leaves, noteback in hand and mind realing from what she saw.

They're at Nanoha's house, the center of everything it seems, when she just lets go of the pencil she is using to work on her Math homework. She just stares at Fate until the girl looks up, burgundy eyes widening in surprise at the intense stare.

"I-is something wrong, Nanoha?"

She can't help herself then. Nanoha lunges forward and captures Fate's lips with her own. She bites on the girls lower lip and ignores the slight pressure on her shoulders that is telling her that Fate is uncomfortable and trying to push her away. Instead of pulling back she leans more forward, her mouth barely touching the shell of Fate's ear.

"Let me touch you, Fate-chan."

For a moment there is a silence. A painful and conflicted silence. And then the hands resting on her shoulders slide downward and wrap around Nanoha's waist.

"Of course. I could never deny Nanoha anything."

That's the twisted form of acceptance that allows Nanoha to touch Fate without a shred of remorse. And as she smirks she sees out of the corner of her eye a mirror. And it's not her own reflection but Precia Testarossa looking back at her.

Z00000000000Z0000000000Z

_Nanoha takes a desperate gulp of air, shoving the warm covers off her body as she sits up in bed. It had been a dream. Weakly she wraps her arms around herself, rocking slowly. She's been having that recurring dream for a awhile now. Seeing herself using and abusing Fate because of the powerful hold she has on the other girl. Like Precia. That _terrible_ woman._

_Maybe it's because she's still half asleep but she reaches for her night stand and fumbles with her phone, quickly typing the memorized phone number._

_It rings four times before Fate answers._

_"Mm?"_

_"Fate-chan?"_

_The other voice coughs once but audibly perks up._

_"Nanoha? Is everything alright?" The concern and gentle voice of her friend soothes her and with a sigh she leans back into her pillows, a faint smile twisting her lips._

_"Mm. I was just ... I had a nightmare." _About you and all of the terrible things I could do to you. And the worst part is, you would let me_._

_"Oh? Would you want to talk about it?"_

_Nanoha pauses for a moment, biting her tongue. Fate must have sensed her reluctance because the other girl chuckles softly._

_"It's alright. You don't have to tell me. But, Nanoha, it's a dream. It isn't real."_

_She nods to herself and stares into the darkness of her room. She takes a few deep breaths, reaffirming that this is Fate who does not have it in her to judge anyone. Especially Nanoha._

_"I dreamed I used you like you were nothing and hurt you. . . and it shocked me and made me so scared b-because you are so kind, Fate-chan! You would have j-just taken it and let me take advantage of you!" Nanoha wipes at her eyes, feeling the beginning or remnants of tears in her eyes._

_The silence in the phone call is wrought with tension and anxiety. She can almost feel Fate struggle to reply coherently in an articulate and well thought manner. She expects a paragraph of denial and comfort. But the reply reminds her that Fate is usually a girl of a few well chosen words._

_"But you wouldn't have done those things. Because you're Nanoha."_

_She's dumbfounded. What did she have to do with anything? As if sensing her unsaid question Fate continues._

_"You-You are so kind and friendly and good by nature. You would never let yourself become that way. That girl in that dream wasn't Nanoha."_

_Nanoha's breath hitches. Because it's such a thing Fate would say. Blindly trusting and blindly believing Fate-chan. Her eyes tear up but not because of fear but fondness._

_"Why are you so kind?" she mumbles gently into the phone as she stares at the night sky through her window, a loving smile on her face._

_"It's something you taught me."_

_They laugh softly together and Nanoha is lulled to sleep by the rich and soothing timber of Fate's voice._

**_A/N_ **Well it's been a while haha. I just watched Nanoha the Movie 1ST and it gave me a ton of Nanofate feelings which just had to be written out. I hope you enjoyed this little story!


End file.
